Jeromy Farkas' charity run raises $200K for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary

Jeromy Farkas is hoping to raise $125,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area as he finishes his self-supported trek along the Pacific Crest Trail. (Facebook/Jeromy Farkas)

When former Calgary city councillor and mayoral candidate Jeromy Farkas set out on his journey from near the Mexican border to Canada, he thought he would only raise about $50,000.

However, once his 168-day-long trip was over, he managed to gather four times that amount.

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Calgary announced at a "welcome home event" held in Farkas' honour that more than $200,000 was raised during the campaign.

"This couldn't have been done without the support of our community," Farkas said in a release on Tuesday.

"Calgarians stepped up in a remarkable way to help empower young people to reach their biggest possible futures through mentorship."

During his 4,200-kilometre hike through the U.S., Farkas pushed through blizzards, wildfires, flash floods and frostbite. He also documented his trip through social media and told CTV News that it was "a challenge."

"Not only has Jeromy shown tremendous physical stamina through his journey, he's also benefited from self-reflection and growth in the pursuit of helping others," said BBBS Calgary president and CEO Ken Lima-Coelho.

The funding will help BBBS Calgary provide programs and supports to Calgary children and youth.

Further details can be found online.